Changing horses was no big deal to Special Olympian Robert Seignious, who was fine-tuning his equestrian skills Wednesday, July 22, in Norco.

“It’s fun and I like to win medals,” he said with a smile.

The South Carolina resident was among the 10-member Special Olympics USA Equestrian team practicing for the Special Olympics World Summer Games, which begin Saturday, July 25, in Los Angeles.

Nearly 350 athletes with intellectual disabilities from around the country are training for 16 sports at Inland venues through Friday and are staying at the UC Riverside dorms for four days before leaving for Los Angeles..

After the morning workouts, competitors headed to downtown Riverside for an afternoon “Parade of Champions.”

Enthusiastic crowds lined Main Street to cheer on athletes who wore red shirts, waved American flags and chanted “U.S.A,” “U.S.A.” as they walked toward City Hall. About 100 athletes, coaches and trainers from Team Sweden preceded the Americans. The parade included the Martin Luther King High School band and cheerleaders from Poly High School in Riverside.

Riverside residents Holly Fajardo and her daughter Emily, 17, slapped high-fives with athletes as they walked in front of the Mission Inn.

“It’s important that they see the community supports them just like professional athletes,” Holly Fajardo said. “They don’t get the same recognition and they should.“

The care and compassion that Riverside showed towards our guests, truly demonstrated what makes us such a ‘unified city‘. We are a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all.

Emily Fajardo, who graduated from King High in June, was part of a campus club that works to integrate special needs kids with the rest of the student population.

“You get to know how wonderful and unique they are,” she said. “You are drawn to them.”

Photo Credit: The Press Enterprise

Grand Marshal Lauren Potter, an actress featured in the TV show “Glee,” was part of the procession. Potter is a Poly High graduate and has Down syndrome.

“I’m so excited to be with all these amazing athletes,” Potter, 25, said before the parade started.

EQUESTRIAN TRAINING

Photo Credit: The Press Enterprise

Earlier in the day, Seignious, 21, talked about riding horses at the No Drama Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Norco, which is hosting one of the practices.

The horse named Dakota was challenging to ride because it was the first time the animal had a male rider, said Marissa Brzescinski, the equestrian team’s head coach.

“He was getting a little out of control, so I got a replacement,” explained Seignious.

He returned to the arena and hopped on Milagro, practicing proper form and posture with coach Tom Walmsley.

“I feel like I’m on a jet,” is how he later described the experience.

Horses at the ranch are trained for competitive events and are “as safe as can be,” said Walmsley, who lives in Illinois.

The athletes who were honing their equestrian skills hail from nine states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri and Arizona.

Team captain Jeremiah Schedlock looked forward to showcasing his talents in front of big crowds in Los Angeles. He also wants to meet and socialize with people from other countries.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Schedlock, 24, who lives in Prescott, Arizona.

‘SUCH AN HONOR’

After Wednesday afternoon’s parade, athletes mingled in front of City Hall, dancing as they listened to recorded music blaring over loudspeakers.

Basketball players from Minnesota expressed gratitude for the support.

“It feels good to be recognized,” said Joseph Ajayi, 24. “It feels good to be part of something this big and this successful.”

Hearing the cheers was heartwarming, added Abel Mehari, 22.

“It’s a really rewarding experience that I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life,” he said.

Photo Credit: The Press Enterprise

As a gesture of friendship, Amy Norton, a triathlete from New Jersey, gave her American flag to a Swedish athlete and got a flag from that country in return.

Describing what it’s like to be in the world games, Norton, 27, said, “It’s just incredible.“

Her sentiment was shared by teammate Courtney Dreyfus.

“You‘re surrounded by so many new people,” said Dreyfus, 18, also of New Jersey. “You get to be in one of the biggest competitions in the world. It’s such an honor.”

UNIFIED CITY

Riverside unifies its diverse community to accelerate the common good for the City as a whole.

People are brought together around common interests and concerns, while the unique character of Riverside’s neighborhoods and diverse communities are celebrated and valued. We are a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all. The long-standing diversity of the City provides a comfortable home for people from all backgrounds, cultures and interests – Riverside is a city for everyone and by everyone. Riversiders respect and value the cultural heritage, distinct needs and varied input of each of our neighbors, while proactively engaging them across historical dividing lines.

Riversiders are working together everyday to not only address local issues, but to also have a positive impact on the region, nation and world…

The Riverside apartment David Oakley shares with his girlfriend and their gray cat, Mittens, is a modest one-bedroom with a cramped kitchen, donated furniture and a few framed prints on its off-white walls.

But it’s home, and Oakley is grateful for it.

Before he moved into the apartment seven months ago, Oakley, a 51-year-old National Guard veteran, was homeless for about two years.

Having his own place is “like it used to be, it’s the way it should be,” he said, then added, “It’s kind of, to be honest, like a dream come true.”

Oakley is one of several military veterans helped by an ambitious Riverside program that aims to house all of the city’s homeless veterans by the end of this year.

So far, the program, backed by Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey, has found homes for 11 veterans. It has 21 more veterans linked with caseworkers to help them apply for benefits and find jobs and apartments.

“It’s inexcusable in my mind to have homeless veterans,” said Bailey, a West Point graduate and Army veteran. “(With) 200,000 veterans in the two-county (Inland) region, we need to lead by example and to take care of our troops.”

The Riverside apartment David Oakley shares with his girlfriend and their gray cat, Mittens, is a modest one-bedroom with a cramped kitchen, donated furniture and a few framed prints on its off-white walls.

But it’s home, and Oakley is grateful for it.

Before he moved into the apartment seven months ago, Oakley, a 51-year-old National Guard veteran, was homeless for about two years.

Having his own place is “like it used to be, it’s the way it should be,” he said, then added, “It’s kind of, to be honest, like a dream come true.”

Oakley is one of several military veterans helped by an ambitious Riverside program that aims to house all of the city’s homeless veterans by the end of this year.

So far, the program, backed by Mayor William “Rusty” Bailey, has found homes for 11 veterans. It has 21 more veterans linked with caseworkers to help them apply for benefits and find jobs and apartments.

“It’s inexcusable in my mind to have homeless veterans,” said Bailey, a West Point graduate and Army veteran. “(With) 200,000 veterans in the two-county (Inland) region, we need to lead by example and to take care of our troops.”

House Veterans
Riverside is taking part in a federal program that challenges cities to find housing for all homeless military veterans by the end of 2015.

Participants: A total of 709 city, county and state officials have accepted the challenge. Other California cities involved include San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Fresno.

Progress: In Riverside, housing has been found for 11 veterans, but 44 more still need homes.

Resources: Veterans and their advocates can call the Access Center, 951-715-3434, or visit endhomeless.info. Lighthouse, 951-571-3533, and the Department of Veterans Affairs in Loma Linda, 909-825-7084, also assist homeless veterans.

Riversiders commitment to making one-other’s life a little better is a great example of Riverside acting as a unified city. The actions of all the participating organizations demonstrates that Riverside is a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all.

“I love the Wood Streets because of the traditional design and landscape.” These are the kinds of comments received on postcards written by City residents for the Neighborhood Postcard Project – a global participatory art project that fosters community connection through storytelling exchange. Residents share personal positive stories about their neighborhood on a postcard and those postcards are delivered to random people in different neighborhoods within the same city.

TheUnified City pillar group of Seizing Our Destiny has been collecting these postcards since the NeighborFest event held on May 16th. The City of Riverside has 26 neighborhoods. They are being collected two ways: via a handwritten postcard with a blank space on the back for creativity and through the Seizing our Destiny website. The ones collected on the website are being shared via social media.

Photo Credit: Riverside Neighborhood Partnership

The goal of the project is to build community connections, awareness and pride in our local treasures – our neighborhoods.

Special Olympics USA will hold Pre-Games camp activities at the University of California, Riverside. The team will represent the United States at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, California, Saturday, July 25 to Sunday Aug. 2.

Special Olympics USA consists of 344 athletes and 137 coaches and management staff. Athletes will compete in 17 sports at the World Games, in traditional and Unified Sports competition (where people with and without intellectual disabilities compete on the same team), including: aquatics, athletics, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, kayaking, powerlifting, sailing, tennis, triathlon, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball.

“We are honored to host Special Olympics USA,” said Andy Plumley, UCR’s Assistant Vice Chancellor, Housing, Dining & Residential Services. “Along with the UCR Student Recreation Center, UCR Athletics and our City of Riverside partners, we will be hosting the team members as they make their final preparations for the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.”

Head of Delegation Chris Hahn said. “The athletes of Special Olympics USA have been training for years for this moment — for the opportunity to showcase their abilities on the biggest competitive stage they’ll ever experience,” said “We are very grateful to UCR for giving our athletes the training facilities they need to prepare, the hospitality to make them feel welcome and comfortable, and the community support that will give them the confidence to go for the gold!”

The delegation will arrive on campus on Tuesday, July 21 to participate in four days of training sessions and social activities in Southern California designed to allow athletes to further bond as a team. The public is invited to come cheer on the “home team” from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 22. The City of Riverside will host the Parade of Champions starting on Fifth Street near the Riverside Convention Center. The parade will end at Riverside City Hall, 3900 Main St.

On Friday, July 24, the team departs for UCLA and USC, where they will be housed during the World Games.

Riverside has increasingly become the ‘location of choice’ for people and organizations from all over the world. With our unmatched landscape, year-round outdoor activities, ample recreational options, and attention to healthy living make Riverside one of the most inspiring, livable, healthy and adventurous cities to live in or visit.

MEDIA:. Athletes, coaches and Special Olympics USA leadership are available for interviews. Please contact Leigh Cheatham, Special Olympics USA Communications, for assistance: (803) 414-3300 or lcheatham@so-sc.org.

About the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015)

With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games — being staged in Los Angeles July 25–August 2, 2015 — will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony, to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World Games to millions of fans around the world. Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts. For more information on the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit LA2015.org and on social with #ReachUpLA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Potential art sample from the Wallace J Miller Collection and Citrus Label Collection contained in the Riverside Public Library Local History Collection

Art and history come together as several utility boxes in the downtown area are “wrapped” with art reproductions from the early 1900s reflecting our singular history. Themes include our citrus heritage, social justice exemplified in the preserving of the Harada House, military history remembered by Camp Anza, the Gage Canal, and Riverside’s thriving business and educational interests. All art work is derived from the Library’s archives. Sponsored by a local business, each box displays a digital code referring the viewer back to our website detailing the background of the historical images represented on each box. Each box displays a small map showing the location of the other box’s in the area. An online map enables virtual and actual walking tours. The exhibit is planned to be unveiled in November 2015—just in time for the Festival of Lights. An inventive addition to this project is the creation of a “how-to manual” for others who may be interested in creating similar thematic box art in Riverside. This project will serve as a 3-year pilot to pave the way for beautiful public art throughout Riverside, enhancing a lasting and attractive sense of place.

“This award proves to me AmeriCorps recognizes the importance of our partnership between the City of Riverside, Riverside Unified School District, and UC Riverside,” said Christine Morgando, the UECC program manager.

As one of Riverside’s oldest and largest residential neighborhoods, the Eastside community has a rich history, and is filled with stories from the African-American and Mexican families who settled in the area. “Over the years, poverty and crime started haunting the neighborhood,” Morgando said. “Families struggled to make ends meet, often leaving the next generation in need of guidance and educational support.”

Photo Credit: UCR Today

Each year, 80 college students become year-long mentors and tutors for students in the eastside of Riverside, nearly all of them are from UCR. They are tutors and role models in eight public schools.

UCR is one of the nation’s most diverse major research universities, and one at which underrepresented minority and low-income students graduate at roughly the same rates as all others. About 60 percent of UCR undergraduates are the first in their families to attend and graduate from college and nearly as many are eligible for federal Pell Grants.

Photo Credit: UCR Today

“This grant means more capacity and strengthens UECC’s ability to impact more youth in the Eastside community,” Morgando said. “More of our college students will be helping the community while they complete their higher education here at UCR.”

Morgando said the UECC organization is – a collaboration between the Mayor of the city, the Superintendent of the Riverside Unified School District, and the Chancellor of UCR to improve the academic futures of K-12 youth.

UECC is an outstanding example of Seizing Our Destiny’s unified city pillar- people coming together for common goals and interests for the betterment of all.

“RUSD F.E.E.D.S. (Food for Every child to Eat During Summer).” Beginning Monday, June 15th through Friday, August 21st lunch will be provided to any child, ages 2-18 for FREE.

This program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Services, is vital for many low-income children especially in this difficult economy. Free school meals provide children with up to 75% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for key nutrients. When school is not in session, these meals are lost and may not easily be replaced. As children obviously do not stop growing physically or cognitively because they are not in school, this summer program fills a crucial gap, helping to ensure that students will return to school ready to learn.

During the summer months it is important to encourage your child to eat healthy food and stay active. Visit one of the eighteen (18) neighborhood parks or six (6) school sites this summer where a daily outdoor bar-b-cue will be provided at no charge. Parents do not have to complete any applications or provide any money for their children to eat. Any child 2-18 will be eligible for a FREE meal.

Please bring your kids and their friends and join your neighbors for a hot BBQ lunch in the park. See their flyer for a complete listing of locations and service times where children can receive free meals during the summer. If you need more information please call (951) 352-6740. Si tiene alguna pregunta, llame al (951) 352-6740.

RUSD’s commitment to making one-other’s life a little better is a great example of Riverside acting as a unified city. The actions of all the participating organizations demonstrates that Riverside is a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all.

Six lucky students at Longfellow Elementary School received a laptop from the annual Technology Encouraging College Hope (TECH) scholarship program on May 18.

First created in 2008 by Dr. Guillermo Valenzuela to encourage students to pursue college, the program has so far donated 170 computers and has inspired students and their families to reach for their goals.

One such student was Sergio Robles, who first received his computer as a sixth grader and is now a student at UCR pursuing a degree in Political Science.

“I was one of the first winners and indirectly, I think it shifted my mindset and put me on the right track,” he said.

Robles also announced the winners of the scholarship and presented the students their laptops. He says that out of the blue, the program had contacted him and asked if he wanted to be a presenter. “I was honored that they called me, it showed that they wanted to see how I was doing,” Robles said. He is also an alma mater of Longfellow.

Valenzuela began the scholarship in 2008 after learning from a newspaper report that the cost of sending a student to college is around $46,000 a year. After that, he decided to help in every that he could. The scholarship is funded through his own personal funds.

“Growing up in Chile, they used to say to ‘give until it hurts’,” he said. “So I gave up things and I have money to fund the program.” But the most important facet of the program, he said, is to encourage students to think bigger.

“When I was a kid people used to ask what you wanted to be when you grow up,” he said. “Now, people don’t ask that. I wanted to get kids to think about their long term goals.”

Inspiring students seems to be working for Valenzuela. He said he receives three to four thank you letters every year and on one occasion was recognized by the family of one of the previous winners at a grocery store.

“I hope to continue with this program, ” he said. “My hope is to change children’s lives, that is enough.”

For Robles, his accomplishments continued after receiving the laptop. He became a more studious student and went on to complete three internships, including one for UCR’s Center for Economic Development and part-time jobs.

However, Robles is not the only student who has big dreams: one of the winners at Longfellow was a fourth-grade boy who wrote an essay about wanting to learn about water policy.

“I think it’s very noble for someone that young to be thinking about stuff like that, ” Robles said. “I want people to know that it’s not just a free laptop. I hope to show the people that they are working for something and hope some students took it as an influence to do something better.”

Technology Encouraging College Hope (TECH) scholarship program is a great example of Seizing Our Destiny’s unified citypillar. We are a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all.

“Sometimes they say that’s the first full meal they’ve had in a couple of days,” said assistant director Inez Fraijo.

Little Caesars filled many bellies Thursday night, June 4. A local franchise donated 40 large cheese and pepperoni pizzas to Path of Life for dinner at its two shelters. One shelter houses single adults and the other is for families. The pizzas could feed up to 160 people.

The pizzas came out of the Love Kitchen, a 58-foot long truck that driver and operator Rick Moreno parked out front on the street. Little Caesars franchisee Seraj Haque donated all of the ingredients and provided three employees who prepared and baked the pizzas in the truck, which is basically a kitchen on wheels.

Photo Credit: The Press Enterprise

Little Caesars sends the Love Kitchen all over the country and into Canada, mainly in response to disasters, including 2012’s Superstorm Sandy on the East Coast and the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. When not otherwise occupied, the kitchen visits places such as homeless shelters that serve people in need. It was at a food pantry in Hemet in May and at Path of Life two years ago.

The Love Kitchen has grown to two trucks – one for the East Coast and one for the West Coast – since Little Caesars launched the operation in 1985. More than three million people have been fed, according to the company.

Toni Adkins, director of Path of Life, said as a nonprofit, the ministry depends on donations and volunteer labor.

Around 12 volunteers from The Grove Community Church served the Little Caesars pizza. Members of the Riverside church are at the shelter six days a month. Typically, they provide the food, cook it and serve it.

The generosity and kindness shown by Seraj Haque is a great example of Seizing Our Destiny’s unified city pillar. Haque demonstrates that we are a caring community that has compassion for all of its inhabitants, and engages with one another for a better life for all.

“I’m delighted that once again we have been ranked by U.S. News as a Best Online Programs for Veterans,” said Dr. David Poole, vice president for Online and Professional Studies at CBU. “Online courses offer our service men and women the flexibility and convenience to complete their college education, regardless of where they may be stationed or live. This national ranking is a strong testament to the University’s continued commitment to our nation’s veterans and active military personnel.”

CBU entered the online education market in the spring of 2010 with programs offered by the university’s Division of Online and Professional Studies. Also named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a 2015 Military Friendly School, CBU Online offers 21 bachelor degree programs with 30 major concentrations, and 14 master degree programs. Degree and course offerings are accessible fully online or in a hybrid format (virtual and synchronous) at educational service centers near some of California’s largest military bases.

To help veterans choose affordable, accessible and reputable distance education, U.S. News has launched its annual rankings of the Best Online Programs for Veterans, according to its website. All of the ranked programs belong to institutions that are certified for the G.I. Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, two federal initiatives that help veterans reduce the cost of school.

Representing Seizing Our Destiny’s location of choice pillar, CBU attracts students and veterans from across the country due to their great reputation and their outstanding scholastic achievements.

OUR VISION:

Riverside, California is a city that honors and builds on its assets to become known as a location of choice that catalyzes innovation in all forms, enjoys a high quality of life and is unified in pursuing the common good.

OUR MISSION:

Seizing Our Destiny is creating a prosperous future for Riverside, California, through a shared commitment of community, business and civic leaders working together to creatively tackle local issues, implement innovative solutions, and promote Riverside success stories. We ensure that Riverside remains a place attractive to dynamic and diverse families, businesses, students and visitors.

is a city that honors and builds on its assets to become known as a location of choice that catalyzes innovation in all forms, enjoys a high quality of life and is unified in pursuing the common good.